When he didn’t respond, I really hoped it was because he was doing as I asked instead of fleeing for the hills.
“No use worrying about it now,” I whispered, switching my focus back to Whiskey. I grabbed his cute orange life jacket, and he reluctantly allowed me to clip it around him. “Look at you. All handsome in your little life jacket.”
His sour face was grumpier than usual as I scooped him up and carried him out of our cabin. Setting his velvet pillow down in the hallway, I placed him on top and booped his nose.
“Hang out here for a while, buddy,” I said, then paused. “…Maybe more than a while. Or go explore, but stay in well-lit areas. You know you can’t see as well in the dark anymore.”
If anything, Whiskey’s eyes narrowed at me for even daring to give him suggestions. So, I planted a big kiss on his furry head before carefully shutting the door in his face.
Taking a deep breath, I turned back to our room and walked further inside until I could see Cade waiting on the bed.
He leaned against the headboard with the grace of a patient predator, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles.
Eyes closed. Hands in the pockets of his sleep pants.
And not a shirt in sight.
Not one to turn down a good opportunity, I soaked him in while tiptoeing closer. His lithe swimmer’s build really wasn’t fair. Who had the energy to navigate big shot business meetings andstillwork out enough to have a toned chest I wanted to spend all night licking?
I might’ve spent a bit too long staring by the time I reached his side of the bed.
Checking that his eyes were still closed, I eased one knee next to him on the bed, resting both hands on his broad chest.
Touching the chest was a signature cuddle move to help someone feel calm, but it had the opposite effect when I was about to jump the man.
Cade’s skin warmed beneath my touch as he took a deep breath, chest expanding against my palms. I swallowed before slowly swinging my other leg over until I was straddling him.
He dutifully kept his eyes closed, which only made the subtle curve to his lips all the more inviting.
Giving in to the pull, I cupped his strong, stubbled jaw with both hands and pressed my lips to his in the softest of kisses. Cade’s hands found my hips—along with the silk covering them—and a low groan rolled out of him.
“Okay,” I breathed, not wanting to disturb the charged air in the room as I pulled back. “You can open your eyes.”
He immediately complied, dark pupils dilating as soon as he saw the outfit’s plunging neckline.
“Surprise,” I whispered, settling on his lap.
Cade’s nostrils flared as he took me in. The hunger that lit his eyes as his gaze devoured every inch of my tiny chemise sent an answering bolt of desire straight through me.
He’d barely touched me, but the grip of his fingers burned like a brand on my hips. I wanted to feel them everywhere, and without the scrap of silk between us.
Cade’s fingers bunched the fabric at my hips, his gaze still roving over the little nightgown. “This is the same one Lovejoy put in the tent for us.”
I wet my lips. “She slipped it to me after our couples massage earlier.”
He gave it another slow, appreciative look while one of his hands slid up to the back of my neck, and he dragged his gaze up to mine. “Come here.”
The gruffness in his voice did something illegal to my insides. He drew me closer, and I parted my lips just in time to meet his.
It was more of a conquering than a kiss. Cade wasted no time deepening it, and I raked my fingers into his hair to hold on for the ride, drawing a groan from him. We jumped straight into the deep end, a battle of push and pull and chasing and goading, before I came up for much-needed air.
Cade’s hooded gaze dropped to my parted lips.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you all day.” He used his hands to guide my hips—grinding me against his lap before I happily took over. A breathy, way-too-needy gasp tore from my throat. “Every minute of those damn activities, I’ve thought about you writhing against my hand on that table. And all the other things I’ve imagined doing to you in this bed.”
My breathing grew embarrassingly choppy. “Like what?”
Cade’s mouth curved into a wicked grin. “It usually starts with this.”
